THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – On Monday, Sept. 9, The Lancer Newspaper joined the Panther Prowler and the Westlake Wire at Newbury Park High School in a panel to question Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) board candidates for the upcoming 2024 election.
With the desire to share student voices and understand how candidates plan to address key issues within the school community, the Panther Prowler staff provided nearby cohesive high school journalism programs with an opportunity to question the candidates in their first panel of this election.
Incumbents Lauren Gill and Karen Sylvester are defending their seats in Area 1 (Westlake) and Area 5 (Newbury Park), respectively. Both have served on the board since 2020, and are being challenged by Nancy Van Volkinburg in Area 1 and Frank Enderle in Area 5.
A total of 13 student journalists participated in the panel, pressing the candidates on topics that will shape the experience of students and parents in the district over the next two years. Issues such as equity, inclusion, school safety, and student experience took center stage as the candidates shared their visions for the future.
The panelists were asked to outline their backgrounds and how their experiences influenced their desire to serve on the school board. Equity, school safety, and academic performance were key topics for all, with the candidates sharing their differing approaches to these issues.
Gill emphasized her commitment to providing all students with a safe and supported path to success. She highlighted her work in implementing programs for multilingual learners and expanding arts education, pointing out the district’s accomplishments like the dual language immersion program at Conejo Academy and the recently launched Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) strategic plan. “I worked hard every day to deliver on our shared priorities, which are a safe, supported path to success and well-being for each of you and all of your peers,” said Gill.
Enderle expressed concerns about declining academic performance, particularly with test scores. He criticized the board’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that it negatively impacted students’ learning and that Newbury Park High School, in particular, has not been performing to its potential. “We need to get the test scores higher…better test scores mean better academics,” said Enderle. Enderle wanted more fiscal responsibility and efficiency in the district.
Sylvester focused on her efforts on the board to increase diversity and inclusion. She discussed her role in creating advisory councils for LGBTQ+ and African American students, along with the initiative to diversify literature and provide representation in the curriculum. “We’ve done a lot in terms of diversifying literature…so we have protagonists and authors from diverse backgrounds,” said Sylvester.
Van Volkinburg, challenging for a seat in Area 1, expressed a more traditional stance on education, focusing heavily on returning to “the basics,” such as reading, writing and math. Additionally, Van Volkinburg believes that the topics of sexual education and sexuality should not be taught in school. “You’re going to learn how to do it on your own. Trust me. I have six children,” said Volkinburg.
The 2024 election will be extremely significant for both local and national politics. The future of CVUSD will be at stake. Direct questions on technology, safety, curriculum and equality all revealed significant differences between the incumbents and the opposing candidates.
The candidates will be meeting in an open forum at the Thousand Oaks Civic Center Scherr Forum on Sept. 16 from 8:15 to 9:00 p.m.
The Lancer will release more updates and in-depth coverage of every candidate and their stances on key items soon.
